Journey to
Enlightenment
We understand that diving into the world of yoga and Dharmic philosophy might introduce terms and concepts that might be unfamiliar.
We are here to guide you through these new words, aiding your journey towards understanding and transformation.
Buddhism
The Three Marks of Existence
In Buddhism, the Three Marks of Existence, known as Anicca, Dukkha, and Anatta, illuminate the essential characteristics of all phenomena.
1. Anicca (Impermanence)
Anicca teaches us that all things are in a constant state of flux. Nothing remains static - everything, from the changing seasons to our fleeting thoughts, is subject to change. Recognizing this inherent instability might be unsettling, but it also offers hope, inspiring us to embrace change as an integral part of life's rhythm.
2. Dukkha (Suffering or Unsatisfactoriness)
Dukkha refers to the inherent unsatisfactoriness and imperfection of life. It's not a pessimistic view but rather a realistic understanding that life brings inevitable instances of pain, loss, and dissatisfaction. Acknowledging Dukkha allows us to cultivate resilience and learn from our struggles.
3. Anatta (Non-self)
Anatta, or non-self, challenges the concept of a permanent, unchanging self. Instead, it proposes that what we perceive as the 'self' is a composite of ever-changing physical and mental components.
By understanding and contemplating these three marks, we invite wisdom, compassion, and a deeper sense of peace into our lives as we cultivate a profound awareness of our own experiences and the world around us.
The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
Stepping stones on the path to enlightenment, the Four Noble Truths offer profound guidance through the complexities of human existence, shedding light on suffering and the means to transcend it.
The Truth of Suffering (Dukkha): Life's inherent nature comprises suffering— a condition that extends beyond physical pain to encompass dissatisfaction, anxiety, and uncertainty. It is an inescapable aspect of our shared human experience.
The Truth of the Cause of Suffering (Samudāya): The second truth unveils the origins of suffering, traced to our cravings, desires, and attachments. Our relentless pursuit of pleasure, avoidance of discomfort, and fundamental misunderstanding of reality engender a cycle of suffering.
The Truth of the End of Suffering (Nirodha): The third truth provides a hopeful counterpoint: suffering can cease. The cessation of cravings and attachments paves the way to Nibbana (or Nirvana), a state of liberation and ultimate happiness.
The Truth of the Path Leading to the End of Suffering (Magga): The final truth charts the Eightfold Path, a practical guide to ethical and mindful living that steers us towards the cessation of suffering and the realization of self-enlightenment.
The Four Noble Truths serve as our roadmap for this transformative journey, guiding us from ignorance and suffering to enlightenment and liberation. These truths illuminate the path ahead, leading us towards a state of profound peace, clarity, and compassion.
The Noble Eightfold Path of Buddhism
Buddhism's Noble Eightfold Path presents a step-by-step guide towards enlightenment, embodying the teachings of the Buddha himself. At Yoga Mārga, we invite you to journey along this enlightening path, experiencing the transformative wisdom encapsulated within each step:
Right Understanding (Samma ditthi): Comprehend the Four Noble Truths, gaining profound insights into the nature of suffering and the pathway to its cessation.
Right Thought (Samma sankappa): Cultivate intentions of renunciation, goodwill, and harmlessness, seeding the roots of compassionate and enlightened living.
Right Speech (Samma vaca): Use words consciously and compassionately, abstaining from falsehood, harmful speech, idle chatter, and slander.
Right Action (Samma kammanta): Uphold ethical conduct through actions, abstaining from harming living beings, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
Right Livelihood (Samma ajiva): Engage in a profession that aligns with ethical principles, that neither harms oneself nor others.
Right Effort (Samma vayama): Cultivate positive states of mind while dispelling negative ones, maintaining diligent and focused mental discipline.
Right Mindfulness (Samma sati): Practice full awareness of the body, feelings, thoughts, and phenomena, fostering presence and attentiveness in every moment.
Right Concentration (Samma samadhi): Develop deep focus and mental tranquility through the practice of meditation, leading to a deeper understanding and ultimate liberation.
At Yoga Mārga, we guide you through each facet of the Noble Eightfold Path, fostering an intimate integration of these teachings into your everyday life. Begin your journey towards enlightenment, one step at a time.
Patanjali Yoga
The Eight Limbs of Yoga
Yoga is a holistic system of living that encompasses ethical standards, personal disciplines, and spiritual practices, leading to self-realization. As outlined in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the Eight Limbs of Yoga provide a roadmap to guide practitioners on this transformative journey.
Yama (Ethical Standards): The five Yamas are guidelines for ethical interactions with others, including non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation, and non-possessiveness.
Niyama (Self-Discipline): The Niyamas are personal observances for self-growth, including purity, contentment, discipline, self-study, and surrender to a higher power.
Asana (Physical Postures): Asanas are the physical exercises that most people associate with yoga. They help to cultivate strength, flexibility, and bodily awareness.
Pranayama (Breath Control): Pranayama involves techniques for mastering the breath, promoting energy flow and balancing the body's life force.
Pratyahara (Sense Withdrawal): Pratyahara is the practice of withdrawing from external stimuli to turn the senses inward, promoting inner peace and clarity.
Dharana (Focused Concentration): Dharana is the practice of training the mind to concentrate on a single point, object, or idea.
Dhyana (Meditative Absorption): Dhyana is the state where the practitioner becomes deeply absorbed in the object of their meditation, leading to a profound sense of unity and connection.
Samadhi (Bliss or Enlightenment): The final limb, Samadhi, is the ultimate goal of the yogic path - the realization of one's true nature and a state of oneness with the universe.
The Eight Limbs of Yoga form a comprehensive roadmap for personal and spiritual growth. Each limb not only aids us in the cultivation of harmony and balance but guides us on a transformative journey towards self-realization and enlightenment.
Transformation unfolds one breath at a time.
Yamas (Social Ethics)
The Yamas are guidelines for how individuals interact with the external world, promoting peaceful and compassionate behavior. They can be considered the universal moral commandments within yoga philosophy.
Ahimsa (Non-violence): This is the practice of non-violence, which includes physical, mental, and emotional harm towards others and the self.
Satya (Truthfulness): Satya encourages being truthful in one's thought, speech, and action.
Asteya (Non-stealing): This Yama recommends not to steal, whether it be physically or emotionally, and to not desire others' properties.
Brahmacharya (Celibacy/Right use of energy): Traditionally it refers to celibacy or abstaining from sex. In a broader sense, it refers to proper control and use of one's energy, particularly sexual energy.
Aparigraha (Non-greed): This Yama discourages hoarding or collecting things beyond one's need, suggesting contentment with what one has.
Niyamas (Personal Conduct)
Niyamas are personal practices that relate to our inner world, offering guidelines for right living. They can be considered the ethical rules or disciplines which cultivate personal growth.
Saucha (Purity): Saucha refers to cleanliness of body, mind, and speech. It's also about maintaining a clean and clutter-free environment.
Santosha (Contentment): Santosha encourages finding contentment with what one has and where one is in life.
Tapas (Discipline or austerity): Tapas refers to the discipline and austerity that is required to reach one's goals in life. It's about training your senses and maintaining consistency in your practices.
Svadhyaya (Self-study): Svadhyaya is the practice of studying oneself to understand our nature and habits. It's also about studying sacred and spiritual texts.
Ishvara Pranidhana (Surrender to higher power): This Niyama is about surrendering to the will of God, or to a higher power, and letting go of the ego. It's about recognizing that there's a divine force greater than us.
Glossary
Ahimsa:
The principle of non-violence, one of the five Yamas in the Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Ananda:
Bliss, a state of utter joy and peace.
Asana:
The physical postures practiced in yoga.
Atman:
The individual soul or self, considered eternal and divine in Hindu philosophy.
Bhakti:
Devotion, particularly in a spiritual or religious context.
Bodhi:
Enlightenment or awakening to the true nature of things.
Bodhisattva:
In Mahayana Buddhism, a being who is on the path to achieving enlightenment but delays it to help others achieve the same.
Buddha:
A title which means "the awakened one," most commonly associated with Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism.
Chakra:
An energy center in the body, seven main chakras are often discussed in yoga and meditation practices.
Dharma:
A key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions. It signifies behaviors that are considered to be in accord with the natural order of the universe.
Dhyana:
Meditation, the seventh limb in Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Karuna:
Compassion, particularly in the context of Buddhist practice and philosophy.
Karma:
The law of action and reaction, or cause and effect, suggesting that all actions have consequences.
Mahayana:
A major branch of Buddhism emphasizing the path of the Bodhisattva and seeking enlightenment for the benefit of all beings.
Metta:
Loving-kindness, a type of Buddhist meditation with the intent of increasing unconditional and selfless love towards oneself and others.
Moksha:
The ultimate goal of human life according to Hindu philosophy, liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth.
Niyamas:
The second limb in the Eight Limbs of Yoga, referring to duties directed towards ourselves - purity, contentment, austerity, study, and surrender to God.
Om:
The most sacred syllable, word, or mantra in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.
Patanjali:
Ancient Indian sage who is traditionally believed to have compiled the Yoga Sutras, a collection of aphorisms on Yoga practice.
Pranayama:
Breath control, the fourth limb in Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Sadhana:
Spiritual practice or discipline leading towards the goal of self-realization.
Shakti:
The feminine principle of divine energy, especially when personified as the supreme deity in Shaktism.
Samadhi:
The state of deep meditative contemplation which leads to higher consciousness, the eighth and final step outlined in the Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Samsara:
The cycle of death and rebirth, considered to be suffering-filled and something to be escaped from.
Samskara:
The mental impressions left by all thoughts, actions and intents that an individual has ever experienced.
Samkhya:
One of the six Āstika (orthodox) schools of Hindu philosophy. It's a dualist philosophical system, which regards the universe as consisting of two realities: puruṣa (consciousness) and prakṛti (matter).
Satori:
A Japanese Buddhist term for awakening or understanding.
Sutra:
A type of religious literature in the form of brief aphoristic statements, found in Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.
Theravada:
The most ancient branch of Buddhism still extant today, known as the "Doctrine of the Elders."
Vajrayana:
Also known as Tantric Buddhism, it combines Mahayana ideals with a body of esoteric knowledge and practices.
Yama:
Moral and ethical standards, the first limb in Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga.
Yogi/Yogini:
A practitioner of yoga (male/female).
Yoga:
A physical, mental, and spiritual practice that originated in ancient India. It's one of the six Āstika (orthodox) schools of Hindu philosophical traditions.
Yoga Sutras:
A collection of 196 Sanskrit sutras (aphorisms) on the theory and practice of yoga, compiled by Patanjali.
Zen:
A school of Buddhism emphasizing meditation and intuition.
Zazen:
Seated meditation in Zen Buddhism.
Remember, these terms often carry profound, nuanced meanings within their respective philosophies and practices. A glossary is a valuable start, but a deeper understanding often blooms from continuous study, practice, and experience.
Embrace this language of
enlightenment and
let it resonate.
As you continue with Yoga Mārga, these words will become a natural part of
your vocabulary, deepening your spiritual and personal growth.
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Between two thoughts,
there is Buddha.
- Milarepa
Milarepa (1052-1135 AD), a Tibetan yogi and poet, was a man who turned the trajectory of his life from misdeed to enlightenment, reminding us of the enduring potential of the human spirit.
